Jeff Rosenstock visited Orlando on their southern tour, Hellmode Goes Down South, which will make seven stops on February 20th. The tour promotes their 2023 EP, HELLMODE. The show featured openers Bad Operation and Soul Glo, who brought punk, hip hop, ska, and post-hardcore to The Beacham. I went into the show with great appreciation for Jeff Rosenstock’s music, but I was not familiar with the openers, and I had no idea how unforgettable the night would become.
Bad Operation was the first band to take the stage, bringing a mix of ska, pop-punk, and alternative vibes to the evening. The band consists of Dominic Minix on vocals, Robert Landry on drums, Brian Pretus on guitar, Daniel “D-ray” Ray on trombone, and Greg Rodrique on bass. The crowd was treated to a special guest appearance from Jer Hunter and Emily Williams, both from the band JER, as well as Emily from Against All Authority, which added even more energy to the performance.
They opened with “Kinda Together,” a song that introduced each member and got the crowd moving to its ska rhythm right from the start. Orlando got the pleasure of hearing an unreleased song, “Don’t Answer My Calls.” With Jer jumping and performing high kicks, members crowd surfing, and Dominic swaying with the audience, it was clear that I was in for a memorable night.
Next up was a different spirit showcasing hardcore punk elements: Soul Glo, with lead singer Pierce Jordan promptly jumping off the stage to scream directly at the crowd. He had an intense interaction with an audience member who pretended to wrap her arms around his throat in a theatrical display of contempt. I could feel the rage and angst in his voice as GG Guerra and Tj Stevenson commanded the stage with their powerful guitar and drum performance.
The most memorable song was "If I Speak (Shut The Fuck Up)," during which Pierce defiantly threw up his middle finger and screamed, "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" This outburst orchestrated a circle pit, causing the audience to rush against the barriers. Soul Glo used their platform to address issues in Palestine, leading the audience to erupt in chants of "Free Palestine."
As we awaited Jeff Rosenstock's arrival on stage, System of a Down began to play through the speakers, and the crowd erupted with excitement, singing in unison, “I cry when angels deserve to die.” The band connected their instruments and launched into an impressive cover of “Chop Suey,” perfectly building up the energy in the Beacham. Jeff Rosenstock reminds me of a delicate time in my life when I felt as if I did not belong, and I connected heavily with his words, mission in the DIY scenes, and principles. Throughout the night, the band touched on gender identity, with Jeff telling the audience that gender is a spectrum and that everyone belongs. Guitarist Mike Huguenor brought up how there are not just two genders and “if someone tells you that there are only men and women, they are lying to you.”
They played songs from HELLMODE, “LIKED YOU BETTER", "FUTURE IS DUMB", and "HEALMODE", and even played some older fan favorites like “You, in Weird Cities” and “Festival Song” At one point in the night, Jeff noticed a fan wearing a giant panda head, and he addressed the audience, saying “I see a panda head and I don't think about anything for the rest of the night… That was the show. Panda head.” This led to the crowd laughing at how relatable and unpretentious Jeff was. The band mentioned how they still think it's amazing that they get the opportunity to play on a stage that size, impressed with the success they've wavered by being themselves. Then, Jer, who performed with Bad Operation, jumped on stage and performed trombone with the group, heightening the ska element of the music and high-intensity dance moves that embody the ska-punk genre that inspires the band. In an intimate moment before introducing the next song, Jeff announced he had written it about “being in a country or a state and not feeling like you are represented,” bringing up common themes that many Americans are unfortunately dealing with in real-time. Closing with "We Begged 2 Explode" from his 2016 album Worry, the crowd sang along with the band, "All these magic moments I've forgotten," reminding me never to forget this night I spent with Jeff Rosenstock.
